Toyoaki Sanjuro (豊秋三寿路）（aka Tatsu Aoki) is a prolific artist, composer, musician, educator and a consummate bassist and Shamisen Lute player. Based in Chicago, Aoki works in a wide range of musical genres, ranging from traditional Japanese music, jazz, experimental and creative music.

Aoki was born in 1957 in Tokyo, Japan into an artisan family called TOYOAKIMOTO, traditionally categorized as OKIYA, meaning a booking and training agent for Geisha ladies in downtown Tokyo’s designated area. While the economy and social environment forced many of those traditional artisan family business to close down in the 60’s, Aoki was luckily able to receive some of the important essence of traditional Tokyo Geisha cultural training and studies at age 4, and became a part of the performing crew in early childhood. After his grandmother passed away, he had kept on with the Tokyo music training until early teens, and shifted his musical focus to American pop music and experimental music. Since his biological father was a movie producer at Shin Toho Studio, he had also began working in small gage films and started to produce experimental films.

Aoki was an active performer during the early 70’s in the mist of Tokyo Underground Arts movement. He became a member of the Japanese Experimental Music ensemble, GINTENKAI presenting mixture of traditional music and new western music. After coming to the U.S. in 1977, Aoki studied experimental filmmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is currently an adjunct Full Professor at the Film, Video and New Media Department, and teaches film production and history courses. During the late 80’s, Aoki became a leading advocate for Chicago’s Asian American community and one of Chicago’s most in-demand musicians on contrabass, taiko (Japanese drums) and shamisen (Japanese lute).

To this date, Aoki has produced and appears in more than 90 recording projects and over 30 experimental films and he has been working internationally. He is one of the most recorded artists in Chicago music scene.

As an Executive Director of AIRMW, Aoki has initiated and managed several programs to advance the understanding of Asian American culture and community through the arts, including the Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival and the JASC Tsukasa Taiko Legacy arts residency project. His work as an artist and educator in the cultural arts and as a leader in the Asian American community address as well as define the issues facing the community, including the need for quality artistic programs that reflect the Asian American experience.

Learn more about Tatsu Aoki.

SF Koto Group Hanaikada have been sharing our Koto music with residents of nursing homes, patients in hospitals and library audiences in the San Francisco bay area. We also participated in local events such as Sakura Matsuri and Japan Day. We enjoy being able to share our koto performance.

Learn more about SF Koto Group Hanaikada.

Rochelle Paula Lum, a native San Franciscan graduated in Theatre Arts with emphasis in scenic design and puppetry. She has traveled and lived abroad in Japan studying their folk art culture and theatrical arts (ie Kabuki and Bunraku). She worked /studied traditional Bunraku and modern puppet construction at a puppet company in Japan.

It was during a Cherry Blossom Festival 30 years ago that she saw a Washi Ningyo Japanese Paper Doll demonstration by instructor Yurie Nakamura and decided to learn the art from her. This eventually lead to team teaching the art with her.

There is a uniqueness to the art of Japanese Paper Doll making. One could learn Japanese history and culture through the making of a single doll and at the same time see how the paper/dolls come alive through simple hand manipulations. There is a certain unexplainable beauty in this process.

In order to keep, preserve and share the Japanese Art of Washi Ningyo, it needs to be shown and taught. The support of JCCCNC in the heart of Japantown has allowed this to happen.

Many who came to see or learn, are from different walks of life and places. They may live close or travel from afar. But all who cross this path will leave with a smile knowing they experienced something very special.

A San Francisco native, Linda Tomoko Mihara began her lifelong Origami journey at age 5. She is the granddaughter of Tokinobu Mihara, author of two of the first books on Origami written in English in the early 1950’s.

Linda received the 2015 Asian Pacific American Heritage Award from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for her work in Origami design and for her contributions to the Asian Pacific American community. She has won awards for her innovative Origami art, including the Award of Excellence, the Juror’s Award, and Awards of Merit from the California State Fair Fine Art Compititions. Her professional folding is used in both private and commercial work; she appears at conventions and events around the world. Her clients include Pixar, Hermés of Paris, Chanel, Industrial Light and Magic, Chloe, Louis Vuitton and Seiko. Linda has created origami for TVcommercials for Disney, McDonald’s, Mitsubishi Motors, Clear Haircare and Febreze. She has curated many Origami exhibits including most recently at the National History Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.

While she continues her creative work in Origami, Linda manages Paper Tree, the family business in San Francisco’s Japantown. This year marks the 51tst anniversary of the business, which started in 1968 when the Japanese Cultural Center opened in the redeveloped area called Nihonmachi. In 1974, Paper Tree moved to a new home on the historic Buchanan Mall, which is home to origami inspired fountains by Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa. In 2018, Paper Tree capped their 50th anniversary by becoming a San Francisco Legacy Business. The Paper Tree continues to serve the community by participating and supporting the various community events, including the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festivals and Nihonmachi Street Fairs.

Learn more about Linda Mihara and visit Paper Tree in San Francisco’s Japantown.